Remember back in August when our biggest worries as Saints fans were whether our backup quarterback was acceptable, and whether or not the Saints were going to keep the right 4th tailback on the roster? Good times.

NolaChick over at Chicks in the Huddle has suggested that the Saints drop the "Earn It" mantra in favor of "Do It For Deuce." I think that’s a fine idea, but I have different suggestion. How about: "In The Land Of The Blind, The One-Eyed Man Is King."

The 2007 Chicago Cubs are the perfect role model for the 2007 Saints. The Cubs absolutely stunk early in the season. Then a certain batshit-crazy Venezuelan pitcher punched his functionally-retarded catcher right square in the face. Then he did it several more times.

The next day, their crusty old redass manager gave the people what they had been waiting for: a ridiculously transparent preplanned "spontaneous" outburst all up in the grill of some schmuck umpire. The functionally-retarded catcher was dumped on the Saint Didacus Fathers, where he proceeded to sink their playoff hopes, and the Cubs went on a midseason tear, becoming the one-eyed man in their very own land of the blind: the NL Central. And tonight, the Cubs will participate in what? That’s right, a playoff game.

Remember back when you first discovered that Rick Astley was white? And British? And you were all "Oh, I see. Yeah, it makes sense now. That explains a lot, actually." That’s what Pants fans are going through right now with David Carr and his ridiculous black Ted Dibiase gloves. "Oh right, that’s why the Texans traded for a 7-9 team’s backup QB and immediately gave him Carr’s job. Right, I get it now."

Tampa is an early-season mirage. The Fighting Joey Harringtons are the Fighting Joey Harringtons. If anybody’s in a position to turn an 0-3 start into a division championship and a playoff berth, it’s the 2007 Saints. And the Saints have plenty of experience relying on the incompetence of their opponents. Hell, it’s been their overarching defensive strategy for years. Occasionally it even works. All indications are that it’s the strategy that just might work in the broader context of the 2007 NFC South: the NFL’s land of the blind.

It begins Sunday against the David Carr Express. At 1:00 Eastern / Noon Central (THANK GOD!) Julius Peppers has been about as much of a factor as Charles Grant and Will Smith so far this year. Which is to say, about as much of a factor as an AP college football poll. Dan Morgan has gone all Cam Cleeland again. Jake Delhomme threw out an elbow while gesticulating wildly yet again for some kind of flag on a play that didn’t quite go his way. Steve Smith hates David Carr’s guts for making him look like Mercury Hayes. Their defense has one less interception than the Saints’ defense, for crying out loud. They have a whopping two more sacks than the Saints’ zero. DeAngelo Williams still sucks. DeShaun Foster still fumbles ten times a game. They’re a mess.

God help us all if the Saints can’t beat these guys at home after a bye week. The Pants are just BEGGING to be pulled back down into the bottom half of the division. That can’t happen Sunday, as the Pants will still be half a game up on the Saints even with a loss. But damned if it won’t be a good start.

The NFC South sucks. All the Saints need to do is follow the Cubs’ blueprint and suck just a little bit less. What the hell is so hard about that?

Also, consider that the Saints are the only team in the South so far who have had to tangle with the Peyton Mannings and the Vince Youngs. There’s a big ole worm-turning factor for you there.

All the Saints have to do is their part. Get their head out of their asses and start playing like a bunch of dudes who know what the hell they’re doing out there. Easier said than done? Not in the 2007 version of the NFC South.

Now all we need to do is to elect a Saint to take a few blows to the face from a teammate, and elect a Saint to deliver said blows. Nominations are open.